South Korea's Ruling Party Will Opposite President Yoon's Impeachment Efforts

Protests urge President Yoon to resign outside the National Assembly building. (Wikimedia Commons/ Daily Minjoo)

JAKARTA - The government party plans to oppose efforts by the South Korean Parliament to file a impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday, following a chaos in the military emergency announcement last Tuesday.

Members of parliament can vote for the bill as soon as Friday. The ruling People's Power Party (PPP) as well as President Yoon's party said they would oppose it, although the internal party was divided because of the crisis.

The opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which has a majority in parliament, requires at least eight ruling party lawmakers to support the bill in order to be passed.

"The emergency declaration of the military regime of Yoon Suk Yeol caused great confusion and fear among our people," said DPK lawmaker Kim Seung-won in a session of the South Korean National Assembly held on Thursday morning.

President Yoon's military emergency declaration late Tuesday sought to ban political activity and censor the media in South Korea, which is the fourth-largest economy. The surprising move divided minister Yoon and caused chaos for six hours.

None of the 108 members of the ruling party parliament attended the impeachment motion. The motion paved the way for the vote to be held within the next 24 to 72 hours.

The impeachment vote was carried out after chaos due to President Yoon's military emergency announcement.

"People and assistants who protect the parliament protect us with their bodies. People win, and now is the time for us to protect the people," said Kim.

"We need to immediately suspend President Yoon's authority. He has committed an indelible and historic crime against the people, whose anxiety needs to be eased so that they can return to their daily lives," he added.

It is known that opposition parties need a majority of two-thirds to pass the impeachment bill. If passed, South Korea's Constitutional Court would then decide whether to support the motion a process that could take up to 180 days.

If President Yoon is suspended from running power, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will replace him as leader. Meanwhile, if he is removed, a new election will be held within 60 days.

It is known that President Yoon was previously a career prosecutor. He won the tightest election in South Korean history in 2022, utilizing a wave of dissatisfaction with economic policies, scandals, and gender war.